If you were to ask me a few years ago – the first three words that come to mind when I think of Chicago. I would have said – Oprah, Garrett’s Popcorn, and the Windy City. I know there’s more to Chicago than those three things but that would have been my first response.

These days when Chicago comes up in conversation it’s usually about shootings, murders, police reform, and most recently President Trump & The National Guard.

A People History of Chicago is a celebration of Chicago’s rich history. It’s a dedication to all of the people (past and present) of Chicago. I would also consider it a lesson in Chicago’s rich history, because it covers an array of subjects/people such as Muddy Waters, Hugh Hefner, the famous case of Hansberry vs Lee, The Chicago 21 Plan, and much more. Author Kevin Coval starts with the year 1942 (before) and comes full circle at March 4, 2017.

A People’s History of Chicago contains seventy-seven poems. The set number of poems included in this book is for the city’s seventy-seven neighborhoods. Which is something I never knew about Chicago?

Side Note: The foreword was written by Chancellor Johnathan Bennett who’s known to the music world as Chance the Rapper. Mr. Bennett discusses when he met the author and how influential Kevin Coval is to his life and the person he has become.